Isolation for household contacts of people with COVID-19 is being phased out around the country.

Western Australia will from 12.01am on Friday become the second-last state or territory to abolish quarantine for asymptomatic COVID-19 close contacts, in line with national guidelines.

NSW, Victoria and the ACT have already ditched the requirement and Queensland will follow suit at 6pm on Thursday, while South Australia will from Saturday drop the need to isolate unless showing symptoms.

Fully vaccinated close contacts in the NT no longer need to isolate unless they are symptomatic.

Tasmania will drop the seven-day isolation requirement for close contacts of COVID-19 cases from May 2. “Close contacts will still be required to follow a series of measures. Anyone who experiences COVID-19 symptoms will still be required to isolate and get tested immediately,” Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said on Wednesday. Close contacts must take a daily rapid antigen test, wear a face mask when outside home and in indoor spaces, the premier said.

WA is also scrapping G2G travel passes and will no longer require interstate travellers to have had three vaccine doses.

Unvaccinated international arrivals in WA must still quarantine for a week upon arrival, but that will be reviewed in four weeks’ time.

Meanwhile, federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and WA Premier Mark McGowan are on track to emerge from isolation later this week after testing positive to COVID-19.

LATEST 24-HOUR COVID-19 DATA:

NSW: 12,188 cases, 10 deaths, 1743 in hospital, 73 in ICU

Victoria: 10,734 cases, 13 deaths, 456 in hospital, 32 in ICU

Queensland: 6848 cases, nine deaths, 527 in hospital, 12 in ICU

Tasmania: 1213 cases, one death, 40 in hospital, one in ICU

Western Australia: 8392 cases, 10 deaths, 253 in hospital, nine in ICU

Northern Territory: 538 cases, 56 in hospital, one in ICU

 

Aaron Bunch
(Australian Associated Press)